Apparatus for delivering cans in reoriented position



Jam-l6, 1951' I e. w. BAKER ETAL 2,538,408

- I APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING CANS IN REORIENTED POSITION Filed Jan. I15, 194s, r :s Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig @120 WELD E CONLEYJR.

ALBERT M. OLSON N 1 INVENTORS I By I' ATTORNEY 1951 G. w. BAKER ETAL 2,538,408

APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING CANS IN REORIENTED POSITIQN Filed Jan. 15. 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 n o Y 3 Q L Q L N T v x w m e o I J l N 1 M1, 5 g Q k y W I GEORGE W. BAKER WELD E.CONLEYJR. ALBERT M. OLSON INVENTORS ATTORNEY 2,538,408 APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING CANS IN'REORIENTED POSITION s Sheets-Sp eet s G. W. BAKER ETAL. I

Filed Jan. 15, 1948 Jan. 16, 1951 INVENTORS ATTORNEY GEORGE W BAKER WELD E. CONLEYJR. ALBERT M. OLSON Patented 1.... us, 1951 APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING CANS IN REORIENTED POSITION George W. Baker and Weld E. Conley, Jr., Milwaukee, and Albert M. Olson, Wauwatosa, Wis., assignors to Chain Belt Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application January 15, 1948, Serial No. 2,446

This invention relates to the art of can or container handling and provides improved mechanism for altering the relationship of the individual cans to each other as they pass in a row on a conveyer system through a canning plant.

Cans are conveyed in various positions in modern canning plants. In some instances individual cans stand on end, and a continuous row of them is conveyed on a belt or on a moving platform type of conveyer. In other instances the cans are transported end to end, with their axes aligned. And in still other instances, the cans roll on their sides with their axes parallel and at right angles to their movement. In the latter instance the cans are usually rolled down guides, with their ends confined.

As the cans progress through a canning plant, they stop at different stations where different types of machinery are employed for various purposes in the'filling. closing and. cooking operations. One'of the principal reasons why the various modes of can conveyance are employed, as

' referred to above. are because of the peculiarities of the different machines and the fact that they require that the cans be presented to them in'certain positions. For instance in the labelin and packaging operations it is customary to handle the cans while they are rolling on their sides with their axes at right angles to their movement.

It is a relatively. easy matter to convert cans by means of can twisters from' a standing position to a rolling position with axes at right angles to movement,'and also vice versa. The difliculty heretofore has been the orientation of cans from aligned axis position to either of the other positions.

Recently there has come into operation the use of high speed heatin and cooling apparatus for sterilizing the food product in the cans, which apparatus involves the rotation of the cans while they are lying on their sides. An example of such apparatus is disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,348,440

, issued May 9, 1944 to Smith and Conley. The apparatus of said patent is capable of processing cans at the rate of 300 per minute, and if this high speed of production is to be maintained throughout the cannin plant, it is necessary that conveying means be provided to take them away with their axes aligned and without interruption or delay, to orient them so that they may be properly presented to the labeling and packaging machinery.

It is an object of the present invention to provide simple but extremely eflicient apparatus for transferring a row of cans from a conveyer on 9 Claims. (Cl. 198-33) which they are lying on their sides and arranged end to end to a position'in which their axes are transverse, to their movement, and to do so in a manner which makes it impossible to have can jams or to injure the cans.

Another object of this invention is to provide such apparatus in which the cans can be handled at very high rates of speed without danger of the cans becoming jammed as aforesaid and thus interrupting operations.

A still further object is to provide inexpensive apparatus which may accomplish the foregoing objectives.

It is old in the art to use star wheels and like devices to orient and space cans, but these prior art devices have been found incapable of handling the cans in the manner herein desired and at a high enough speed.

According to the present invention, the cans are fed into pockets in a rotatable wheel, which instead of being power driven, is free to revolve under the pressure of the incoming cans, the feed and receiving means therefor and the individual pockets being so arranged that trouble-free, operating performance is obtained at all times and under all conditions of use.

The use of an idler wheel, which is caused to rotate solely by the pressure of incoming cans permits the device to resume operation after an interruption in feed without the necessity of coordinating movement of the wheel with some preliminary can feeding device, such as would be necessary under such circumstances in order to avoid jams if the wheel were power driven.

The invention will be described in detail in reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating one embodiment thereof and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the can turning device;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are enlarged views of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, showing it in various positions of its operation. a

In the apparatus illustrated in Fig; 1 of the drawings, the cylindrical cans i I are fed from the left while they are lying on their sides and have their axes aligned. The cans are moved forward in this position by an endless belt [2 on which they rest, and lateral movement of the cans is prevented by the side bars l3. Disposed above the forward side of the end pulley I4 of the belt conveyer and extending forwardly thereof are a pair of spaced horizontal guide members ll having downwardly sloping and converging inner sides on which the cans may be received as they leave the belt I 3. The shape of the guides I5 is best illustrated in Fig. 3. I

The guides. l5 are mounted on a cross member l6 of a frame generally designated l1. One end of this frame has brackets |8 for mounting the bearing [8' of the pulley H of the feed conveyer belt l2. The frame II has suitable legs for supporting it at the desired distance above the floor. Also mounted on the frame I! and disposed above the row of cans being fed thereto is a hold-down plate l9 which is of adequate width to restrain the cans against upward movemen as they pass therebeneath.

.The cans fed by the conveyor belt I: between theguides l5 and H are received in appropriately spaced and shaped pockets in an idler wheel 20, the shaft 2| of which is journalled in bearings 22 mounted on the frame II. The wheel is of relatively narrow thickness and is preferably made of light, but wear-resistant material. It is desirable to reduce the mass and the fly-wheel efiect of the wheel as much as possible so that should the feed be interrupted, the inertia of the wheel will not be too great. The forward ends 2| of the guides l5, which are disposed to straddle the wheel 20, extended well into the wheel so that cans being transported on the guides l5 may be supported throughout their length at the time they are lifted therefrom by the wheel. The foregoing is best illustrated in Fig. 2 wherein the apparatus is shown minus cans in order that the relation of the parts may be best portrayed.

During transportation of the cans II by the wheel, they are restrained against sidewise movement by the upstanding guides 23 which are mounted on the frame IT. The space between the guides 23 is substantially the same and substantially in line with the space between the guide rods l3 between which the cans travel on the feed belt l2.

Cans transported by the wheel 20 are received on the spaced platform members 24, which straddle the discharge side of the wheel and which extend sufficiently far from the wheel to deliver the cans, which are now standing on end, to the chain conveyer 25. The spocket 26 over which the chain conveyer travels may also be mounted on brackets 21 supported by the end of the frame I! in a manner similar to the manner of supporting the end of the feed conveyor; and the cans transported by the chain conveyor 25 are guided by the side rods 28 which correspond to the guides |3 previously described.

The shape of the pockets in the wheel 20 are arranged so that each pocket has a rearward face 3| substantially but not quite parallel to the axes ofthe cans being transported. This face is of a length slightly less than the length of the e 4 portion which. is substantially at right angles to the axis of the can contained thereby but sufficiently other than at right angles'so that the end of the can may abut the face 34 without being can, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 4 to 6, and

where the cans are beaded, i. e. have end beads as illustrated in said figures, the very slight angle which the rear face 3| makes to the side of the can is such that the outer end 32 of said rear face engages the can restingon the feed guides l5 at thesame moment that the inner end 33 of the face engages the forward bead on the can. Thus as the can is lifted from the guides l5 by the wheel, there is no rocking movement of the can.

Each pocket on the wheel 20 also has a forward face 34, the total length of which is longer than a can diameter, and which comprises an inner spaced therefrom by ,the bead on the can first striking the inner extremity 35 of said face 34. The outer portion 36 of the face 34 is curved rather sharply and terminates in a'portion that is substantially at right angles to the rearward face 3| of the preceding pocket. This latter feature is essential in connection with the spacing of the guides l5, which are above or offset with respect to the axis of the wheel 20, because regardless of the position of the wheel at the time the conveyor I2 is started, the incoming cans will be able to rotate the wheel and inaugurate can transfer.

The location of the receiving guides 24, which are also above the axis of the wheel 20 but below the incoming guides I5 is highly important because should an interruption in feed occur, the cans on the receiving guide 24 will arrest further movement of the wheel (due to their pressure on the opposing face 3|) and at this moment, a subsequent can-receiving pocket must be so arranged with respect to the can feeding means'that rea can has fully entered said receiving pocket. Whensuch movementis again started, and during continuous operation, rearward faces 3| push against the cans on the receiving guides 24 and slide them over it until the cans are in position to be moved by the chain conveyer 25.

As illustrated in the drawings, the forward ends 31 of the hold-down guides 9 are located so that a can which has fully entered a pocket in the wheel 20 may revolve with the wheel but a succeeding can on the guide I5 is held down throughout its entire length. In fact the end 31 engages the foremost end of the bead of said succeeding can in the latter instance. This fact, in conjunction with the shape and length of the rearward face 3| of the receiving pocket permits the can in the pocket to be lifted without its rearward bead locking with the forward bead of the'succeeding can. The position of the cans at the moment of full can reception in a pocket isillustrated in Fig. 4.

As the wheel moves into the position shown in Fig. 5, thewheel lifts the can in the receiving pocket and the end of the succeeding can at first bears against the rearward bead on the revolving can and then later bears against the forward face of a succeeding pocket until the latter pocket approaches a position to receive the succeeding can, as illustrated in Fig. 6.

During the transportation of the cans by the wheel, the cans are securely seated in the pockets of the wheel, allowance being made for the beads on the can, as previously pointed out, to prevent rocking movement, and the cans are gently deposited on the receiving platform 24 despite the relative high speed of progress of the cans. There isrno danger of a can being wedged between the wheel and the hold-down guide l9 because the 7 While the inven on has been described in assam reference to the transfer of cans, it will be appreciated that it may be applied to transfer of engaging said succeeding pocket.

other articles provided the principles of the invention are embodied in such applications.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for delivering a row of cylindrical containers lying on their sides and having their axes axially aligned comprising means for feeding the containers while so arranged, a rotatable idler wheel having pockets in its periphery, each pocket having a rearwardface arranged to support a container and remove the same from said feeding means, said feeding means being sufficiently offset from the axis of the wheel to cause rotation thereof by the force-of incoming containers against the receiving pocket, and means for receiving the containers transported by the wheel after rotation of the containers to a parallel axis position, said last mentioned means being positioned to receive the containers seriatim from the wheel and, in the event of an interruption in container feeding to arrest further wheel movement, with a succeeding pocket in receiving position and to maintain it in said position until wheel movement is initiated by an incoming container engaging said succeeding pocket.

2. Apparatus for transferring a row of cylindrical cans from a position in which the cans have their axes axially aligned to a position in which the cans stand on end, said apparatus comprising means for feeding the cans while axially aligned, a rotatable idler wheel having pockets in its periphery, each pocket having a rearward face arranged to support a can and lift the same from said feeding means, said feeding means being sufficiently above the axis of the wheel to cause rotation thereof by the force of incoming cansagainst the receiving pockets, hold-down means co-operating with said feedmeans for holding down the can succeeding the one that has entered the receiving pocket, and means for receiving the cans transported by the wheel after rotation of the cans to a standing position, said until movement is initiated by an incoming can 5. Apparatus for delivering a' row of cylindrical callsv lying on their sides and having their axes axially aligned comprising means for feeding the cans while so arranged, a rotatable idler wheel having pockets in its periphery, and means for receiving the cans transported by the wheel with the cans arranged side byside, each pocket in the wheel being arranged to receive a can from said feeding means and to deliver it to said receiving means, the means for feeding cans to the wheel intersecting the wheel radially offset from the axis thereof, and each of said pockets having a curved, forward face, the inner portion of said forward face being substantially at right angles to the axis of the can contained in that pocket I while the outer portion is substantially at right angles to the can contained in the preceding pocket, whereby regardless of the position of the wheel when can feeding is initiated, the force of incoming cans causes wheel rotation.

6. Apparatus for delivering a row of cylindrical cans lying on their sides and having their axes axially aligned comprising means for feeding the cans while so arranged, a rotatable idler wheel having pockets in its periphery, each pocket being arranged to receive a can and lift the same from said feeding means, the means for feeding last mentioned means being arranged to arrest further wheel movement in the event of an interruption in can feeding, and said pockets being spaced so that whenever such interruption occurs, re-initiation of wheel movement cannot occur until a can has fully entered a' succeeding pocket and has passed said hold-down means.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 for transferring beaded cans in which the forward end of the hold-down means is arrangedto contact the forward bead of a can just succeeding one that has fully entered a receiving pocket.

4. Apparatus for delivering a row of cylindrical cans lying on their sides and having their axes axially aligned comprising means for feeding the cans while so arranged, a rotatable idler wheel having pockets in its periphery, each pocket having a rearward face arranged to support a can and lift the same from said feeding means, said feeding means being suflieiently above the axis of the wheel to cause rotation thereof by the force of incoming cans against the receiving pocket, and means for receiving the cans transported by the wheel after rotation of the cans to a standing position, said last mentioned means being positioned to receive the cans seriatim from the wheel and arrest further'wheel movement in the event of an interruption in can feeding cans to the wheel intersecting the wheel above the axis thereof, whereby the force of the incoming cans causes wheel rotation, each of said pockets having a rearward face which is substantially parallel to the axis of the can and shorter than the length of the can, and a partially curved, forward face longer than the diameter of the can, the inner portion of said forward face being substantially at right angles to the axis of the can contained in the pocket while the outer portion is substantially at right angles to the can in the preceding pocket, and means for receiving the cans transported by the wheel with the cans standing on end and aligned.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 for delivering beaded cans in which the inner ends of the rearward and forward faces are recessed to accommodate the forward beads on the cans to prevent rocking of the cans during delivery.

, 8. Apparatus for delivering a row of cans or the like lying on their sides and having their axes axially aligned comprising means for feeding the cans while so arranged, a rotatable idler wheel having pockets in its periphery, eachpocket being arranged to receive a can and lift the same from said feeding means, the means for feeding cans to the wheel intersecting the wheel above the axis thereof, whereby the force of the incoming cans causes wheel rotation, each of said pockets having a rearward face which is substantially parallel to the axis of the can and during feeding, in line with the sides of the cans on the feeding means, said pockets each having a forward face substantially at right angles to the axis of the can contained in the pocket, and means for receiving the cans transported by the wheel with the cans standing on end and aligned, said receiving means being arranged so that the ends of the cans thereon are in line with the forward pocket face at the moment of can delivery.

9. Apparatus for delivering a row of cylindrical cans lying on their sides and having their axes axially aligned comprising means for feeding the cans while so arranged, a rotatable idler wheel having pockets in its periphery. each pocket being arranged to receive a can and lift the same from said feeding means, each of said pockets having a rearward face which is substantially parallel to the axis 0; the can and shorter than the length 01 the can, and a curved, forward face, the inner portion oi. which is substantially at right angles to the axis 01' the can contained in the pocket while the outer P rt1on is substantially at right angles to the can in thepreceding pocket, and means for receiving the cans transported by the wheel with the axes of the cans in substantiallyvertical position and side .by side, the means for receiving cans from the wheel overlapping the wheel-and providing a rest which is substantially parallel to the forward pocket faces at the moment of can delivery, each can so deposited being propelled along said 8 rest by thepressure oi the rearwardjace of th pocket previously containing-the can.

a GEO. w. BAKER.

WELD E. CONLEY, JR.

ALBERT OLSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Orstrom "dune 24, 1941 

